Helicopter pilot who died in crash had drugs in system

A Macomb County business owner who was killed when the helicopter he was piloting crashed in a rain storm in northern lower Michigan last year had numerous drugs, including cocaine, in his system and was not authorized to fly in bad weather, according to a federal investigation.

Dan Logghe, 46, of Richmond Township, died Sept. 23, 2011 when the Robinson R44 single-engine helicopter crashed near Alpena in Alcona County en route to a hunting trip along with Mark May, 33, of Sterling Heights, a passenger who also was killed.

A report recently issued by the National Transportation Safety Board stated the probable cause of the accident was Logghe’s decision to fly in rainy weather he was unqualified to fly in. A contributing factor was the “pilot’s impairment from multiple drugs,” according to the investigative summary.

Logghe was a third generation co-owner and vice president of Logghe Stamping in Fraser, a family-owned stamping supplier to the automotive and military industries. The company formerly was known for its production of funny cars and dragsters.

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Logghe, the registered owner of the four-seat helicopter, had numerous drugs in his system including painkillers, small amounts of cocaine, by-products of cocaine, and over-the-counter sinus medication, the report shows. Those included benzoylecgonine, ibuprofen, hydrocodone, diphenhydramine and desmethylsildenafil.

“Toxicological testing of the pilot revealed the use of multiple drugs that cause sedation, as well as the stimulant cocaine. The multiple sedating medications each have a high likelihood of impairment and their use posed a significant hazard to flight safety,” federal investigators said in the report.

May, a Madison Heights native, and Logghe had left Logghe’s home in northern Macomb County about 6:30 p.m. for a weekend trip to a private hunting camp. A member of the Richmond Sportsman’s Club, Logghe was an avid hunter who had hunted in exotic locales including Africa, New Zealand, Russia and Mexico, according to his family.

They left as clouds and rainy conditions moved in and were reported missing Sunday, Sept. 25. The following day, a hunter in the area discovered the crash scene in a wooded area near Curren, about 15 miles from Alpena. After landing upside down, the helicopter burst into flames.

A witness who saw the helicopter flying in and out of low clouds heard a sound similar to gunfire before the aircraft crashed. That likely was the helicopter striking the tops of trees, investigators said. There was no sign of mechanical malfunction.

The report states visibility was six miles, but the sky had levels of clouds and clearing breaks. Logghe was flying by sight as he was not qualified to fly by instruments, the report found.

The report includes a passage from the Robinson R44 Pilot’s Operating Handbook, which stresses flying at night is much more dangerous than in daylight hours because the pilot can’t see the bottoms of clouds and is unable to accurately judge altitude without a horizon for reference.

“As helicopters are not inherently stable and have very high roll rates, the aircraft will quickly go out of control, resulting in a high velocity crash, which is usually fatal,” the handbook inclusion states.

The report comes before a Dec. 17 hearing in Macomb County Circuit Court for a lawsuit filed by May’s family against Logghe’s estate and Logghe Stamping, which owned the helicopter.

Mark May’s mother, Marilyn, accused Logghe, his estate and the company of negligence in Logghe flying the aircraft and the company for allegedly failing to maintain it, and “adequately monitor and supervise” and train Logghe. The family also alleged Logghe had ingested cocaine before getting into the helicopter.

David Baxter, the attorney representing Logghe’s estate and company, and Michael Weaver, who represents the May family, both declined to comment on Monday.